Retaining clip for key cases and the like



I Dec, 29 1925.

1,567,636 W. R. BUXTON RETAINING CLIP FOR KEY CASES AND THE LIKE FiledApril 5, 1924 J if 24 1 Ill] 3% INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29,1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARNER R. BUXTON, OF LONGMEADQW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BUXTON, IN-

CORPORATED, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA.

CHUSET'IS.

RETAINING CLIP FOR KEY CASES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 5, 1924. Serial No. 704,520.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ARNER R. BUXTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Longmeadow, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in RetainingClips for Key Cases and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in retaining clips, such as areused to retain an article in place in the pocket. The invention, whilecapable of general application, is especially useful for key cases andwill be described in connection with this one particular use.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved retaining clip forkey cases and the like, characterized in that it is adapted for quantityproduction at comparatively low cost and for rapid and convenientassembly in the key case or like article.

' According to one feature of the invention, a spring clip is provided,which has a part bent backwardly thereupon and adapted for attachment tothe case, and such part is dis posed adjacent an inside face of the keycase while the other part-is disposed adjacent an opposite outer face ofthe case. One or more recesses are formed in said inside face of thecase and projections, provided on the first named part, enter suchrecesses and are held therein by the pressure of the other part of theclip, which presses against the outer face of the key case and tends todraw the projections into the recesses.

By preference, two of such recesses and two of such projections areprovided and the outer part of the clip bears against the outside faceof the key case at a point intermediate, and preferably centrallybetween, said recesses.

According to another feature of the invention, the inner part of theclip may be secured to the inner face of the case by interengageablefasteners, such as glove fasteners and the like, for example.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following descriptionand in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an open key case embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the clip is attached to the lowerpart of the key case;

Figs. 3 and lare side and rear elevational views, respectively, of aclosed key case, shown inverted and in the position which it is adaptedto occupy in the pocket;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification in thefastening means; and

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of clip.

Referring to these drawings, the invention has been shown as embodied ina key case, as an illustrative example of one particular use thereof.The invention is obviously capable of other uses and may be applied toany other suitable articles.

The particular key case shown 15 a comparatively small one having onlytwo key holders it. A case of this type is frequently used forautomobile keys and is of such size and shape as to conveniently fitinto the vest pocket. l/Vhen the case is thus carried, however, there isdanger of it falling out of the pocket, when a person stoops over, andhence the desirability of providing some means to releasably hold it inplace.

The particular key case, chosen as a background for this invention,includes a case forming member 10, which is usually a strip of leatheror the like, the central portion 11 of which constitutes the back of thecase and the end portions 12 of which constitute flaps and are foldablein overlapping relation over the back 11 to enclose the key holders 71..Suitable means, such as the interengageable fasteners 13 and 1d areprovided on flaps 12 for the purpose of detachably securing themtogether when folded in overlapping relation. The key holders h aresuitably mounted in the usual manner on a plate 15 attached, as byeyelets 16, to the inside face of back 11 near one end thereof.

The retaining clip is preferably applied to the opposite end of the back10 although it may be other vise located, if desired. The clip includesa substantially straight and preferably flat part 20 which is adapted tolie closely adjacent the inner face of back 11 and is preferablydisposed centrally thereof. Integral with this part 20 is another part21, forming the clip proper, which part curves ver the lower edge ofback 11 and is bent backwardly thereupon, in curved relation,terminating with a part 22 which presses tightly against the outer faceof back 11.

As a means of securing the clip to the key case, the part- 20 and back11 are provided with interengageable portions, which definitely locatethe clip with respect to the key case and hold it from endwise orsidewise displacement. Conveniently, although not necessarily,projections 23 are formed on the part 20 and may be struck out therefromduring the operation of stamping out the metal from which the clip ismade. Cooperating with the projections are recesses 24 provided in theinner face of back 11. Conveniently, these recesses may pass en tirelythrough back 11, as shown, and may be formed by eyelets 25 appliedthereto. At least two of the recesses and projections are provided inlongitudinally spaced relation and, desirably, one on each side of theterminus 22 of the clip, so that the latter tends to hold eachprojection with equal force in it recess.

In assembling the clip on the case, the part 22 is sprung away from part20 sufiiciently to allow the back 11 to be sllpped in therebetween. Thepart 20 is then moved until projections 23 come into alignment withrecesses 24, whereupon the former snap into the latter due to thepressure exerted by part 22 against back 11. In use, the part 22 has tobe sprung away from back 11 when the case is to be held in the pocketbut, in so doing, the pull necessary on part 22 for this operation tendsto prevent projections 23 from leaving the recesses and there is alwaysa force tending to hold the latter elements in engagement.

While the above arrangement has been found sufficient for the purpose,it is readily possible, although slightly more expensive, to provide amore positive connection be tween the clip and case. As shown in Fig. 5,the projections and recesses may consist of male and female snapfasteners 26 and 27, respectively, which are not as readily disengaged.

If still further stability is desired, the part 20 may be madesubstantially cruciform in shape to provide for three projections 23 andthe back 11 provided with corresponding recesses. The part 22 preferablycontacts with the adjacent face of part 20 at a point substantiallycentrally located with respect to the triangularly arranged projections.

The arrangement first described, has, however, proved suitable for the.purpose and it has the advantage of simplicity and low cost ofmanufacture. All that is necessary is to strike out two projections fromthe inner part of the clip and apply two eyelets to the case. The clipis, obviously, capable of quick and convenient assembly by relativelyunskilled labor. This feature is also desirable because the clips may besold separately and applied to the case by the user, the cases havingprovisions made for this purpose in the nature of the eyelets 25 described.

The invention has been disclosed herein, in an embodiment at presentpreferred, for illustrative purposes but the scope of the invention isdefined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

Claims:

1. In combination, a spring retaining clip having one part bentbackwardly upon another part and yieldingly urged toward the latter, amember to which the clip is to be secured adapted to be inserted between:said parts, and interengageable devices provided on said first namedpart and one face of said member and yieldingly held in engagement bythe pressure of the second named part against the opposite face of saidmember.

2. In combination with a key case or the like, a spring retaining clipcomprising tWo portions one of which is bent backwardly upon the otherand which are adapted to be disposed on opposite faces of the case, oneof said portions by its spring pressure against one face of the casetending to hold the other portion closely against the other face, andinterengageable devices provided on the last named portion and lastnamed face, said devices being provided in longitudinally spaced pairs,and the point of application of said spring pressure being in termediatesaid pairs.

'3. The combination with a key case or the like, having on one facethereof two longitudinally spaced recesses therein, ofa member havingcorrespondingly spaced projections to enter said recesses and adapted tolie adjacent said face, said member extend ing out of the case and beingbent backwardly thereupon to form a spring clip which presses againstthe opposite face of the key case and holds said projections in saidrecesses.

4. The combination with a key case or the like, having on one facethereof two longitudinally spaced recesses therein, of a member havingcorrespondingly spaced projections to enter said recesses and adapted'to lie adjacent said face, said member extending out of the case andbeing bent backwardly thereupon to form a spring clip tions to entersaid eyelets, and a spring clip which presses against the opposite faceof portion secured to said member and extend- 1 the key case at a pointintermediate said ing outside of the case and having a part recesses.bearing against the opposite face of said 5. The combination with a keycase, havback to hold said projections in said eyelets. ing upper andlower eyelets provided in the In testimony whereof I have afliXcd myback thereof, of a member lying adjacent signature. one face of saidback and having projec- WARNER R. BUXTON.

